By now I'm sure we've all heard that the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, collapsed last night after being struck by a container ship. Casualty figures are as yet unknown, but are almost certain to be in double figures. Our sincere condolences to all involved.
However, the real impact of this bridge collapse is likely to be on supply chains serving the most populous part of the USA.
The bridge collapse has paralyzed a large swath of the largest inland port on the East Coast. The port is ranked 9th for total dollar value of cargo and 13th for cargo tonnage among US ports.
. . .
The bridge spans the Patapsco River and carries an estimated 11.5 million vehicles annually. In this collapse, the only shipping lane in and out of the port was severed.
Baltimore is the most inland port on the East Coast and is connected to the I-95 highway network. With no commercial vessels sailing in and out of port anytime soon, this is catastrophic for port operations and could spark supply chain snarls in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
. . .
According to the Maryland government's website, the Port of Baltimore handled over 52 million tons of international cargo valued at more than $80 billion last year, ranking it as the ninth busiest port in the United States. The data shows that the port handled 847,158 autos and light trucks in 2023, the most of any US port. The port also handles farm and construction machinery, sugar, gypsum, and coal.
There's more at the link.
It's not just ships that will be affected. With so major a road transport artery shut down, trucks will be severely delayed by having to detour around the affected area (and, of course, by greatly increased traffic congestion due to everybody else having to take the same detour). Our supermarkets rely on truck transport to receive food and other essentials every day. This incident will almost certainly have a serious impact on consumers in north-eastern states. It'll take years to rebuild this bridge, and heaven knows where the money will come from. It'll almost certainly have to be borrowed, adding to our already excessive national debt.
Given all the existing pressures on supply chains, this is very bad news.
Peter
12 comments:
Very bad news as HAZMAT Trucks had to use this bridge to get past the restrictions on the two tunnels under the harbor OR add a lot more miles going the western loop.
Heating fuel and so on affected. Hard on drivers logbook hours.
Interesting times.
Micahel is correct, but other than Hazmat, not much will change for the truckers going to the Marine Terminal, they use 895 or 95 now. Re the channel, I'm betting it will be cleared in 2 weeks or less. Drags/dredges are available, and only the center of the channel needs clearing. There will be changes to the car and local traffic patterns, no question, but all that will do it add 'time' to people's commutes (which already sucked).
It's definitely a problem, but the channel will be cleared in a short period of time. The lack of the bridge will affect the supply chain, but commerce has a way of defeating adverse events and continuing. The additional costs will definitely affect consumers. I don't know how this will affect the military, but have a feeling it will be more than will be announced.
Gee, did no one outside of Florida learn from the Sunshine Skyway disaster? (Ship runs into, yes, the only direct link over Tampa Bay from the north side to the south side. Fault with crew, duh.)
Can't wait to see Paul at Hawsepiper's comment on this mess.
The piers of the Sunshine Skyway bridge have large islands around them and huge bollards fore and aft.....but that was the design following the accident in 1980. The Key bridge was built before that (mid 70s?)
Differ
The traitor who they call potus just announced that the feds are going to pay for the rebuilding. I assume that someone between the harbor pilots and the shipping company and the "owners" and the real owners has insurance, and culpability. A bunch of bridge maintenance crew members aren't going home. There might be cars underwater. But all that old fraud can do is wave federal largesse as a reelection banner.
Was there sudden onset competency crisis? DEI? Heart attack? Disgruntled employee? Somebody accidentally "bumped" the "switch"?
So sorry people had to die for a Murphy "intervention".
Beans, no weather problem this time. I wonder how ship lessthan 10 years old managed to have complete power failure at just the right place. It's not like it was a tramp steamer.
The channel will take more than 2 weeks to clear, I think. Besides removal of the truss structure, the bridge deck / roadbed will also have to be cleared from the channel. That channel is shallow enough that they won't be able to leave it on the bottom. And I doubt it can be removed with a harbor dredge.
Jess - military impact of this is limited to the Coast Guard. Their main East Coast shipyard is at Curtis Bay, off of the harbor. There is no other military presence in Baltimore (I'm sure, I lived there for 65 years.
Understand there are four Military Sealift Command ships currently trapped in port. About 10% of available tonnage.
Baltimore Harbor is home to at least 5 vessels in the Navy's rapid deployment fleet, that are trapped in the harbor beyond the bridge, along with every merchant at the piers. There's only 50 ft. Of water in the channel, ALL the wreckage must be moved, as well as the Dali that is trapped under the superstructure of the bridge. Mud dredged aren't dealing with this mess, and recovering the 6 victims who rode the Ridge down comes first, in some of the worst diving conditions possible... Two weeks? You'll be lucky if that channel's open in two MONTHS... With lost revenue of approximately $100 million a day.
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